ERP is often misinterpreted as a system only suited for large, multinational corporations that have been established for hundreds of years and turn over tens of millions of pounds. It is often assumed that only larger companies will reap the benefits, but the truth is quite different. ERP solutions can be just as beneficial for smaller companies, if not more so. Some questions we often get asked are;

The journey taken by a product/service often provides a detailed insight into the reasons and purpose of the initial project. Although at face value MIETrak appears to be a modern piece of software that has only been around for the last 10 years or so, its story and history paint a completely different picture.

ERP is generally viewed as an internal tool to help streamline your processes and keep all information under one roof. In today’s markets, the margin between gaining and losing a customer can be minute. Contributing factors such as price, quality and lead time are often the criteria used by businesses that seek new suppliers. With competitively priced materials becoming more readily available, companies are having to find other ways of distinguishing themselves from competitors in the eyes of potential customers. This is where ERP can help.

As well as making life easier internally, an ERP system also provides an added incentive for potential customers to do business with you. It provides proof of an organised internal infrastructure and also suggests that you are a company that is forward thinking and continuously improving due to being at the forefront of modern technology. So what is it exactly that makes ERP so appealing? The best way to look at this is to see it from their point of view;

The two main contributing factors to the cost of a new ERP system are the purchase price of the software itself but also the support contract that comes along with it. Companies are quite often so focused on the capabilities on the software itself that they almost completely forget about the support and how important it will be after the initial installation. Software providers have different ways of structuring their annual support contracts, so be sure to ask how it works and what is included.

In today’s world, having one system that manages everything is becoming more and more popular. There are companies that offer complete packages that include ERP and CAD/CAM software, but are they really sufficient to suit the ever demanding industry? This is where MIE Solutions partnership with Metamation comes into its own. With our partnership, you get two individual companies who are experts in their fields, which combine their market leading solutions to muster a complete manufacturing package.

Quoting is commonly the first process required in order to receive a sales order. Companies go about quoting their products and services differently. There is no right or wrong way as long as you are making profit and the product is as it should be. Manufacturers quoting methods are often determined by a range of factors. One of the main and most common influences is your competition. Going head to head with other manufacturers in order to win a job often drives prices down, and so in order to win the job you may have to forfeit some of your profit margin. On the other hand, some manufacturers costing method is driven by the industry itself. They may have patent on a unique product that sits in a niche market of its own, meaning that they can determine its pricing structure.

MRP is at the forefront of many manufacturers operations and processes, but what does it actually mean and what are the benefits of using it? Firstly, there are in fact two different types of MRP, MRP 1 and MRP 2. MRP 1 stand’s for Material Resource Planning and MRP 2 stands for Manufacturing Resource Planning. The terms sound very similar but they do in fact relate to two different aspects all together.

Quality Control is a large part of many companies workflow processes. With a growing number of industries requiring some sort of quality control compliance, it is compulsory that you understand the concept fully. Accreditations such as ISO9001 require companies to follow a set out guideline that consists heavily on quality control.